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Life-Size LEGO Technic McLaren P1 & More!

The LEGO Group and McLaren Automotive have embarked on the toughest LEGO Technic challenge to date, recreating a one-of-a-kind, fully drivable McLaren P1 made from LEGO Technic elements. And if that wasn’t enough, McLaren F1 driver, Lando Norris has been enlisted for the ultimate challenge, to complete a lap of the iconic British racetrack, Silverstone, in the 1:1 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1.

This life-size replica of the McLaren P1 is made from 342,817 LEGO Technic elements, weighing approximately 1220kg, with some truly remarkable displays of engineering. The car has fully functional steering, making it the first LEGO big build ever capable of steering and taking on tricky racetrack corners. The build features an electric motor consisting of LEGO Technic Function batteries and an electric car battery, allowing it to travel further than any other LEGO model before it.

The big build process came to life with 23 specialists from design, engineering, and building from the LEGO Group and McLaren Automotive, with 8,344 hours of development and construction and requiring 393 different types of LEGO Technic elements.

With the car assembled, all that was left to do was to embark on the ultimate challenge, and with it being a McLaren supercar replica, who better to get behind the wheel than McLaren F1 Driver, Lando Norris. The British driver was more than up to the task, taking on the twist and turns of the 5.891km (3.66 miles) track and completing the lap around the Silverstone Circuit. With the enormity of this challenge, Silverstone was the perfect setting given McLaren’s rich history with the home of British racing.

Fans can see the full video of Lando Norris completing the Ultimate Challenge in the life-size LEGO Technic McLaren P1 by visiting the LEGO Technic section of the Online LEGO Shop, and I also included it below for your viewing pleasure.

“Having worked on the original P1 program for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1 brought to life so realistically by the LEGO Technic team for the full-scale model. The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.” Ben Gulliver, Test & Development Director, McLaren Automotive.

“This project marks the latest in a long list of collaborations between the LEGO Group and McLaren, bringing together McLaren engineers and the LEGO Model Production team from conception all the way to the final build. McLaren’s automotive and engineering expertise has been invaluable in helping us produce a model as authentic to the original McLaren P1 as possible, allowing us to turn a dream into a reality. It was incredibly cool to see McLaren F1 driver, Lando Norris driving the car we created.” Lukáš Horák, Senior Project Manager in Model Production, LEGO Group.

Following the unveiling of the newest addition to the LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept Series; the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1 at the McLaren Technology Center in July, this latest challenge looks to take the mantra ‘Build for Real’ to a whole new level, bringing to life fans’ dream supercar in a unique way.

The recently released #42172 LEGO Technic McLaren P1 1:8 set comes with a 7-speed gearbox with a dual-clutch transmission, suspension, V8 piston engine, adjustable rear wing, and opening dihedral doors with advanced mechanisms – offering detail that makes it a ‘must-have’ for all supercar enthusiasts and McLaren fans. Priced at £389.99 / €449.99 / $449.99, the set is available at the LEGO Technic section of the Online LEGO Shop.

The LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept Series launched in 2016 and every other year the concept brings a special vehicle to life, where both the set itself as well as packaging have been meticulously designed. Going on the design journey of creating the next Ultimate car challenges the team to design spectacular 1:8 scale sports car models and push the limits of what’s possible. The team aims to continuously prove that with LEGO Technic it’s possible to ‘Build for Real’ So far, five sets have been released in the series; the #42056 LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS (2016), the #42083 LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron (2018), the #42115 LEGO Technic Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 (2020), the #42143 LEGO Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 (2022), and the #42172 LEGO Technic McLaren P1. You can find them at the LEGO Technic section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? How do you like the life-size LEGO McLaren supercar? And what about the LEGO set version? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below!

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BrickLink Designer Program Series 3 Pricing & More!

In less than a month, the special fan-designed sets from Series 3 of the BrickLink Designer Program will be available for preorder, and the pricing of the sets was revealed a couple of days ago.

Starting on October 8th, BrickLink members may pre-order their favorite sets from the series, with a limit of two of each set per household. All sets that receive over 3,000 pre-orders will be produced. Up to 30,000 of each set will be manufactured during a limited, one-time production run. These sets are designed by LEGO fans but are produced in LEGO’s own factories and will be ready to ship in March of next year (approximately six months after pre-ordering). As you probably know already from the previous series, these set are very popular and usually sell out quickly. There are five sets in this series, so let’s take a look of them again as well as the price.

The Harbormaster’s Office by Rich_Herbert comes with 2,418 pieces and features a fully detailed interior including a control desk, rest area, storage, and a loft bedroom. The Harbormaster’s desk contains maps, radar, sonar, as well as access to a CB radio and loudspeaker to communicate with the boaters in the harbor. On the main floor, you’ll find a cozy chair and wood-burning stove along with additional safety equipment. And when the nights get long, the Harbormaster can head up to the loft for a quick nap or to work on his models, including a small-scale lighthouse and ship-in-a-bottle. The office sits comfortably on a large dock, complete with gas pump, life rings, fishing rods, compressed air, railings, and plenty of signage for passing seafarers. Follow the pilings below the dock to get a view of the sea life hidden from those on the surface. Fish, crabs, coral, and plant life inhabit the underside of the dock. Grab some fuel for the small motorboard and head out for an afternoon of fishing. The entire office comes apart from the dock completely and can be displayed separately, and the second floor and all roof sections are removable for easy access. The price of this set is going to be $209.99.

The Art of Chocolate by brickester comes with 2,615 pieces. The designer writes: “A few years ago I visited Cadbury World in Birmingham, UK. I was very impressed by the industrial manufacturing process of chocolate. After that, in 2021, I had started to research the artisan process and I’d discovered a whole world of craft chocolate makers. I’ve learned all the steps from the cocoa beans to the final bar of chocolate, including how the machines involved in each part of the process work. With all that information I made a very successful project for LEGO Ideas which I called ‘The House of Chocolate’. Unfortunately, it wasn’t selected in the review phase but I always thought about the great potential of the idea. A stand-alone thematic building that can be displayable, playable, and educational at the same time. In some way, while you build a LEGO set, you learn and awaken curiosity about how the chocolate that we like so much is made. So I decided to start a new design from scratch for BDP Series 3 using that same concept of ‘House of Chocolate’, a very challenging and at the same time exciting experience. I’ve put all my efforts into making an interesting small building with many different textures, roof techniques, and a bit complex baseplate. This time I’ve also increased the importance of the figure of the master chocolatier, who is the artisan that carries this small batch business of chocolate with the help of his two faithful assistants.” The price of this really interesting set is going to be $229.99.

The Forest Stronghold by Krackenator comes with 3,395 pieces and comprises of two main sections with both containing many different rooms and details. The left portion features a grand bedroom, large watch tower, and a hidden underground treasure room! The right side has a dining hall, armory, kitchen, tower dungeon, and more. These sections are connected by a small bridge. All levels are accessible by minifigures via ladders and doors throughout the castle. The bridge can be easily removed so that both castle sections may be easily transported. The separation could also allow for someone to pretend that they are controlled by different clans too! The gate that encloses the waterway on the right castle can swing open. This gives the knights a chance to sneak back in and retake all the gold that was stolen from them! A horse and cart are included which helps the nights transport their gold! A rope stretches between both towers that allows for the Forestmen to travel quickly. The price of this set is going to be $299.99.

The Camping Adventure by KingCreations comes with 669 pieces and features a vintage camper that is easily removable from the larger display. The exterior features include an awning, opening door, an A/C unit, a laundry rack, and a tap. Inside the camper, explore the kitchen with a stove, sink, and utensils, sleep tight in the bed, and take advantage of the storage space! The rest of the scene is filled with varied autumn plants and vegetation, a bike, extra wood, a camping chair, and animals such as a bird, a squirrel, and butterflies. The price of this set is going to be $54.99.

The Lost City by letsgolegobrick comes with 3,506 pieces and mixes ancient architecture and ruins covered by vegetation for the pleasure of the eye of the collectors and the pleasure of the imagination of the players. You can discover different parts of the city such as its ruins, its two towers, closing treasures, the stone bridge, the rotunda, the throne room and its water mirror, the king’s tomb, and more! The price of this set is going to be $289.99.

If you would like to learn more about these upcoming sets, visit the BrickLink Designer Program Series 3 section for more detail and pictures as well video introduction from the designers. And you’re also welcome to share your thoughts about the sets as well as your favorite designs in the comment section below!

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